Improvement in life-preservers



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Life Prawn/ersB PaentedOct. 17,1871..

fr w INVENTOR A TT E ST M w W 4PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS ORMSBEE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE-PRESERVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,089, dated October 17, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARCUS ORMsBEE, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain Improvement in Life-Preservers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which, together with the letters and figures marked thereon, form part of this specification.

This life-preserver is made of annular form to adapt it to be passed over the head of the user, and it is furnished on the inner periphery with an elastic collar constructed of pure rubber, and adapted, 4after slipping over the head, to fit snugly around the neck Without constraint, but in such a manner as to preclude the possibility of the apparatus becoming accidentally detached from the person. It is further provided with a respiratory tube, the free end of which will, While in use, be supported so far above the surface of the Water as to avoid injurious effects from spray. The other end may terminate in a simple mouthpiece or in a cap covering both mouth and nose and held in place by an elastic cord. The buoyant material may consist of cork in large pieces or in fragments contained in suitable bags, or an annular sack of India rubber inflated with air may be used. The elastic collar may be'a simple annular Web projecting inward from the inner periphery ofthe buoy, or it may consist of rubber cords stretched across the opening, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus as made of an inated annular sack of rubber. Fig. 2 is a section of the same atm a?, Fig. 1, illustrating it in use. Fig. 3 is a plan of the apparatus as made of corl Fig. 4 is a vertical section thereof.

Ain the various gures represents the annular buoy, Whether the same be made of cork or of rubber iniiated With air. B in Figs. l and 2 represents the inflating-nozzle. O is the annular collar, which, when of the form shown in Figs. l and 2, has its inner edge c formed of a thin lip of pure rubber, which, by its softness and yielding character, prevents any oppression, while rendering the apparatus more secure. In Figs. 3 and 4. the collar is shown as consisting of elastic cords attached to the buoy at their ends, and crossing each other in such a form as to leave a suitable opening for the neck.

D is the respiration-tube, the outer end of which may be supported by a wire standard, E, or by other suitable means. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 illustrate the application of a nose-cap and the elastic cord by Which it may be secured. The elastic collar and the annular form of the buoy adapt the apparatus for instantaneous application and dispense with the necessity of strings, straps, or other fastenings, the hasty adjustment 'of which when the apparatus is to be used frequently occupies so long as to prevent the saving of life.

I am aware thatrubber life-preservers have before been made in annular form, and therefore do not claim this in itself.

I claim as my inventionl. As an improvement in life-preservers, a buoy constructed in annular form, in combination With an elastic collar adapted to spring to the neck, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In combination with the annular buoy A, one or more respiration-tubes D, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

MARCUS ORMSBEE.

Witnesses OcTAvIUs KNIGHT, WM. H. BREEETON, Jr. (138) 

